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What is dementia?

Dementia is a collection of symptoms that can occur due to a variety of
possible diseases. Dementia symptoms include impairments in thinking,
communicating, and memory.

Possible causes of dementia include:

Alzheimer’s disease, which is the leading cause
of dementia

brain damage due to injury or stroke

Huntington’s disease

Lewy body dementia

Symptoms of dementia

If you or your loved one is experiencing
memory problems, don’t immediately conclude that it’s dementia. A person needs
to have at least two types of impairment that significantly interfere with
everyday life to receive a dementia diagnosis.

In addition to difficulty remembering,
the person may also experience impairments in:

language

communication

focus

reasoning

Subtle short-term memory changes

Trouble with memory can be an
early symptom of dementia. The changes are often subtle and tend to involve
short-term memory. An older person may be able to remember events that took
place years ago but can’t remember what they had for breakfast.

Other
symptoms of changes in short-term memory include forgetting where they left an
item, struggling to remember why they entered a particular room, or forgetting
what they were supposed to do on any given day.

Difficulty finding the right words

Another early symptom of dementia
is struggling to communicate thoughts. A person with dementia may have
difficulty explaining something or finding the right words to express
themselves. Having a conversation with a person who has dementia can be
difficult, and it may take longer than usual to conclude.

Changes in mood

A change in mood is also common with
dementia. If you have dementia, it isn’t always easy to recognize this in
yourself, but you may notice this change in someone else. Depression, for
instance, is typical of early dementia.

Along with mood changes, you might also see
a shift in personality. One typical type of personality change seen with
dementia is a shift from being shy to outgoing. This is because the condition
often affects judgment.

Apathy

Apathy, or listlessness, commonly occurs
in early dementia. A person with symptoms could lose interest in hobbies or
activities. They may not want to go out anymore or do anything fun. They may
lose interest in spending time with friends and family, and they may seem
emotionally flat.

Difficulty completing normal tasks

A subtle shift in the ability to
complete normal tasks may indicate that someone has early dementia. This
usually starts with difficulty doing more complex tasks like balancing a
checkbook or playing games that have a lot of rules.

Along with the struggle to complete
familiar tasks, they may struggle to learn how to do new things or follow new
routines.

Confusion

Someone in the early stages of dementia
may often become confused. When memory, thinking, or judgment lapses, confusion
may arise as they can no longer remember faces, find the right words, or
interact with people normally.

Confusion can occur for a number of
reasons and apply to different situations. For example, they may misplace their
car keys, forget what comes next in the day, or have difficulty remembering
someone they’ve met before.

Difficulty following storylines

Difficulty following storylines may
occur due to early dementia. This is a classic early symptom.

Just as finding and using the right
words becomes difficult, people with dementia sometimes forget the meanings of
words they hear or struggle to follow along with conversations or TV programs.

A failing sense of direction

The sense of direction and spatial
orientation commonly starts to deteriorate with the onset of dementia. This can
mean not recognizing once-familiar landmarks and forgetting regularly used
directions. It also becomes more difficult to follow a series of directions and
step-by-step instructions.

Being repetitive

Repetition is common in dementia
because of memory loss and general behavioral changes. The person may repeat
daily tasks, such as shaving, or they may collect items obsessively.

They also may repeat the same
questions in a conversation after they’ve been answered.

Struggling to adapt to change

For someone in the early stages of dementia, the experience can cause fear.
Suddenly, they can’t remember people they know or follow what others are
saying. They can’t remember why they went to the store, and they get lost on
the way home.

Because of this, they might crave routine and be afraid to try new
experiences. Difficulty adapting to change is also a typical symptom of early
dementia.

Find a Doctor

When to see a doctor

Forgetfulness and memory problems don't automatically point to dementia.
These are normal parts of aging and can also occur due to other factors, such
as fatigue. Still, you shouldn't ignore the symptoms. If you or someone you
know is experiencing a number of dementia symptoms that aren’t improving, talk
with a doctor.

They can refer you to a neurologist who can examine you or your loved one’s
physical and mental health and determine whether the symptoms result from
dementia or another cognitive problem. The doctor may order:

a complete series of memory and mental tests

a neurological exam

blood tests

brain imaging tests

Dementia is more common in people over the age of 65, but it can also affect
younger people. Early onset of the disease can begin as young as the 30s, 40s,
or 50s. With treatment and early diagnosis, you can slow the progression of the
disease and maintain mental function. The treatments may include medications, cognitive
training, and therapy.

Can you prevent dementia?

You can take steps to improve cognitive health and reduce your or your loved
one’s risk. This includes keeping the mind active with word puzzles, memory
games, and reading. Being physically active, getting at least 150 minutes of
exercise per week, and making other healthy lifestyle changes can also lower your
risk. Examples of lifestyle changes include stopping smoking if you smoke and
eating a diet rich in:

omega-3 fatty acids

fruits

vegetables

whole grains

You can also reduce your risk by increasing your intake of vitamin D.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some researchers suggest that “people
with low levels of vitamin D in their blood are more likely to develop
Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia."